もののけ | monster | soshiro hoshina (Kaiju No. 8) (COMPLETE)

にじゅうきゅう | twenty nine

もののけ | kaiju | monster

29

Soshiro

AS I STOOD THERE, FACING AWAY FROM KIYOMI, I could hear the metallic clinks and clatters of her busying herself with the tools. Her voice broke through the mechanical symphony, stern and unyielding.

"You need to clean your wounds at least twice a day," she said, her tone authoritative and unwavering. "And make sure to take the antibiotics I've given you. They're specifically formulated to counteract the Kaiju venom. I know you can be stubborn as hell, Hoshina, but if you want to get that venom out, you need to listen to me."

Her words were practical, almost clinical, but they cut through me like a knife. I stood there, my back to her, absorbing her commands. I wanted to scoff, to dismiss her instructions as unnecessary, but I held myself back. The way she spoke, as if she cared for someone like me—it was almost laughable. And yet, the bitter truth was that I was the fool—for believing she still cared...

I adjusted my boxers and buckled my belt. The earlier arousal was still there, albeit dulled, and I felt a fresh wave of shame.

How had my body betrayed me so easily? Her touch had been clinical, meant only to treat my injuries, yet I had twisted it into something inappropriate in my mind. I wanted to slap myself for liking it... for wanting more. But deep down, I knew I couldn't lie to myself anymore. This woman still held power over me, a power I had tried to deny for years.

And I'm still hopelessly in love with her...

I don't want to deny it anymore.

This woman, who seemed so indifferent now, still had a hold over me. I had spent years convincing myself otherwise, gaslighting my own emotions, but it was futile. I still loved Kiyomi despite everything. The realization hit me with a force that was almost physical. What could I do, though, when she showed not a single speck of care for me anymore?

How could she act so detached, as if there was no history between us? She treated me as if I were a stranger... Meanwhile, I stood there, a storm of emotions raging inside me. How could she face me so normally when every moment I spent in her presence was a battle against the turmoil within?

I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breathing. The frustration and sadness were overwhelming. Kiyomi had made me a fool, discarding me without any explanation, leaving me to wrestle with my feelings alone over these past years.

"A while ago..." I started breaking the silence. "Were you jealous?" I couldn't hold it in any longer. I knew she was, but I just needed to confirm it. Her movements paused, the clicking stopped, and I knew I had hit a nerve. Bullseye.

Turning around fully, I faced her. She still hadn't turned to look at me, but the tension in her shoulders was unmistakable—the same tension she displayed back then. "You were, weren't you?" I said, stepping closer.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" she spat out, her voice laced with irritation. It was a ridiculous question to her, or so she wanted me to believe.